BEIJING -- The Belt and Road Initiative is advancing steadily, bringing investment and jobs to participating countries, a spokesman for the annual session of China's top political advisory body said Thursday.

More than 100 countries and international organizations have joined the initiative and over 40 of them have cooperation agreements with China, said Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Chinese businesses have helped build 56 economic and trade cooperation zones in 20 countries along the Belt and Road, with total investment exceeding 18 billion U.S. dollars, helping generate over 1 billion U.S. dollars in tax revenue and more than 160,000 jobs, Wang told a press conference on Thursday.

He said the CPPCC National Committee will do more work in 2017 to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road.

The Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by China in 2013 and aims to become a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes.

In the spirit of regional connectivity, China is working in aviation, power, rail, road and telecommunications projects with participating countries.